Series

Building a Body

Multicellular organisms evolved over millennia into a dazzling array of differently adapted creatures. With each generation, tiny worms, lavishly plumed birds, and even humans must create themselves anew from a single cell. To do so, they require a plan. This multimedia story collection explores the myriad of ways in which an organism's development is orchestrated. Click the links below to read and watch.

Four lab animals — a fly, a plant, a planarian and a zebra fish — wear hardhats and look at blueprints.
Multimedia stories
The blueprint of a body
Evolution + Development

An intricate set of processes govern how cells know where to go and what to become during development. In this article, learn how Whitehead Institute researchers are investigating the various biological mechanisms that serve as the architects of life forms.

How plants manage difficult decisions
Plant Biology

Plants may not “think” the way humans do, but they have a trick up their sleeves when it comes to making decisions. In this installment of our Building a Body story collection, learn about how plants decide when to sprout, when to flower, and how to create seeds that grow into the next generation. 

"Mapping" the body with single-cell RNA sequencing

Single-cell RNA sequencing allows scientists to capture unique gene expression information in dozens, hundreds, or even hundreds of thousands of cells. Learn how Whitehead Institute scientists are applying this technology to a variety of model organisms to uncover a rich diversity of cells.